A Few Words About Rejection

So you got rejected. As a writer you should understand this is all part of the process. It’s not like this is something new. We have experience rejection since we were old enough to draw on a wall with a crayon. We saw it as art, but mom saw it as a reason to hide the crayons. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t art.

We put pen to paper (or actually fingers to keyboards) with the idea of one day standing beside those literary giants that inspired us to do more with our thoughts and imaginations than just daydream. We toil over a keyboard for what seems like an eternity. Editing, then editing again. Reading, editing, moving this, adding that, until we are certain we hold within our hands exactly what the world has been waiting for–the novel all future novels will be compared to.

With the query written, and the first chapter attached, the email shoots off into hyperspace in search of a worthy agent for such a masterful work of fiction. You start the next book, certain your offer of representation is being drafted simultaneously. Maybe just one more cup of coffee as you await the email alert indicating your invitation to success has arrived.

Then it happens. You open the email and, with little more than a polite salutation, your heart is ripped from your breast. It’s a short paragraph, and the only word that stands out is – ...unfortunately.

No need to read on. That same feeling comes over you. The painful vision of mom collecting up the crayons and carrying them off to another room flashes through your mind. You weren’t old enough to understand then, but you should now. Even though mom took the crayons away, you didn’t stop finding ways to express yourself or finding an audience for that expression. You continued on despite the rejections you faced. For those who didn’t give up, the roots of those scribblings blossomed into true artistic expression.

Remember, as with every artistic expression, it’s not suited for everybody. Patience and a belief in what you’ve produced should keep you to task. I read somewhere 90% of writers don’t become published authors because they quit after the first sense of rejection. If you look at this from a glass half-empty/half-full perspective, what really happened is 90% of your competition has been eliminated. You can certainly compete with the other 10%.

With the New Year upon us, it’s time for a new resolution. You felt strongly enough about putting those fingers to the keyboard, now keep at it until your query lands in front of the right person at the right time. Do your research, continue to develop your writing skills, and get the next idea on paper and out the door. There is an agent out there waiting for you’re your submission, don’t disappoint them.  

A very bright and Happy New Year to all the soon to be authors out there!

What I Learned Sitting On A Train Platform

Characters- Part II

This is the second of three short observations about Characters.

No matter what traits a fiction writer can dream up for the characters that populate their stories, nothing compares to the quirks and traits of those you meet in real life. Allow me to expound a bit. Well, there I was, sitting on a train platform in Worcester waiting for my return train to London. It was a bright morning with just the slightest chill, but enough to warrant holding my coffee with two hands. I’m a cordial person by nature, so it was very easy to fill my time with pleasant conversations with the people waiting along with me. And, to be honest, there is always a very soft line between character research and my genuine interest in the conversation.

There was quite an assortment to choose from that morning. An attractive businesswoman was first up. I was quite pleased when she sat down next to me. Surely such an engaging woman as this will appreciate a stimulating conversation about the latest business news. Instead she went on in nauseating detail about how late she was running that morning. Another monumental concern was the wind’s effect on her hair. I assured her there was little need to worry; it looked just fine. In an effort to save her from embarrassment later I mentioned she was wearing one black shoe and one blue. You would have thought she suddenly recognized me as someone who might steal away in a woman’s closet overnight and rearranged all her shoes. I got a sharp “harrumph!” and she stormed off down the platform. As I watched her walk away I decided it best to let someone else inform her the back of her skirt was tucked into her pantyhose.

And then there was this young chap with leather, a spiked dog collar, and a blue Mohawk. He had pierced things I had no idea you could possibly pierce. My first thought was a firm grip of my wallet and a quick move to the other end of the bench, but he proved most amusing and incredibly articulate. He spoke right up, engaging me in a conversation about my thoughts on the decline of soulful interpretation in pop music lyrics of the day. Despite my embarrassing lack of musical knowledge, we chatted for a while under the questioning glances of those who walked by. I couldn’t fault them for it, because it was my first reaction to his appearance also. Just another reason you shouldn’t judge a book by its coiffure. When his train arrived he bid me good day, and thanked me for the conversation.

I could see my train coming just round the bend. As I stood up a maintenance man who had been sweeping the platform greeted me. Much like my earlier attempt to save the attractive businesswoman from embarrassment he apparently felt compelled to point out her aforementioned wardrobe malfunction. “That woman seemed quite proud of her bum,” he said in a most sincere tone, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. He looked up at me, scratched his head and continued, “Strange though, she wasn’t at all pleased when I remarked about it.”

There you have it. Just a quick glimpse at how remarkable and influential chance encounters can be in character development. Keep an open mind about you whenever you’re in a social situation. That bothersome chap who keeps chatting you up could possess the foundation of your next villain. Or that charming woman who was so helpful in the library could inspire the creation of a new sleuth. Either way, why take on the whole burden of creating a character from scratch when life is so willing to provide such amusing examples to start from.

Next: Characters Part III

Every Character Has A Past.

Photo courtesy- Photos8